Abstract

The dynamic interactions between leukemic cells and cells resident within the bone marrow microenvironment are vital for leukemia progression. The lack of detailed knowledge about the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in this cross-talk restricts the design of effective treatments. Guarnerio et al. (2018) by using state-of-the-art techniques, including sophisticated Cre/loxP technologies in combination with leukemia mouse models, reveal that mesenchymal stem cells via promyelocytic leukemia protein (Pml) maintain leukemic cells in the bone marrow niche. Strikingly, genetic deletion of Pml in mesenchymal stem cells raised survival of leukemic mice under chemotherapeutic treatment. The emerging knowledge from this research provides a novel target in the bone marrow niche for therapeutic benefit in leukemia.

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Funding information

Alexander Birbrair is supported by a grant from Instituto Serrapilheira/Serra-1708-15285; a grant from Pró-reitoria de Pesquisa/Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (PRPq/UFMG) (Edital 05/2016); a grant from National Institute of Science and Technology in Theranostics and Nanobiotechnology (CNPq/CAPES/FAPEMIG, Process No. 465669/2014-0); a grant from FAPEMIG [Rede Mineira de Engenharia de Tecidos e Terapia Celular (REMETTEC, RED-00570-16)]; and a grant from FAPEMIG [Rede De Pesquisa Em Doenças Infecciosas Humanas E Animais Do Estado De Minas Gerais (RED-00313-16)]; Erika Costa de Alvarenga is supported by a grant from FAPEMIG [Rede Mineira de Pesquisa e Inovação para Bioengenharia de Nanosistemas (RED-00282-16)]; Akiva Mintz is supported by the National Institute of Health (1R01CA179072-01A1) and by the American Cancer Society Mentored Research Scholar grant (124443-MRSG-13-121-01-CDD).